Edmonton Oilers @ Colorado Avalanche – Game Preview and Lines

Edmonton Oilers @ Colorado Avalanche

12 MAR 2013 – 7:00 PM MST

Television – Sportsnet West

Lines

F

Ryan Jones – Ryan Nugent- Hopkins – Jordan Eberle

Magnus Paajarvi – Sam Gagner – Nail Yakupov

Taylor Hall – Shawn Horcoff – Ales Hemsky

Lennart Petrell – Ryan Smyth – Mike Brown

D

Ryan Whitney – Justin Schultz

Ladislav Smid – Jeff Petry

Nick Schultz – Corey Potter

G

Devan Dubnyk

Yann Danis

Mile High Sticking is the Colorado Avalanche site on the Fansided Network

March 10 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche right wing P.A. Parenteau (15) reacts to an offsides being call during the second period against the San Jose Sharks at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

• FINALLY - This is the final game of the nine game roadtrip.  The Oilers are 2-4-2 in the first eight games, which puts them about four points off of where I was hoping they’d be at this time.  They roll into Colorado after taking the Blackhawks down in Chicago by a 6-5 score, giving Chicago their first home loss in regulation time.  The Avalanche are coming off an emotional 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks this past Sunday.  Winners of their last two, the Avalanche are 4-3-3 in their last ten.  The Oilers are looking to make it two wins in a row, and are 3-5-2 over their last ten.
• LINE CHANGE – Boy, Teemu Hartikainen must have really pissed Kruger off by running into Devan Dubnyk the other day.  Ryan Jones (scratched on Sunday) will be on the top line with Nuge and Eberle.  Lennart Petrell is on 4LW with Ryan Smyth playing centre again.  Can I get an addendum so that 94 doesn’t have to ever play centre again?  Please?
• While I’m paying compliments to the chef, thanks for dressing Paajarvi again.  Seriously, this has been neglected or screwed up enough this season.  You did good here.
• Matt Duchene currently leads the Avalanche with 26 points (11-15-26) in 23 games.  P.A. Parenteau is right behind him with 25 (10-15-25) in 24.
• Semyon Varlamov (8-9-3, 2.71 / .914) is expected to start tonight for Colorado, while Devan Dubnyk (6-9-4, 2.88 /.914) is showing no ill after his collision with Teemu Hartikainen.  Dubnyk was removed from the game after the collision, but has been deemed ready to go tonight.
• The last time these two teams met, the Oilers came from behind in game that saw Semyon Varlamov stop 50 shots in a 6-4 Oilers victory.  I figure about an additional 56 shots will go a long way in securing two points for the Oilers tonight.
• Fire Tambellini.

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